Ocean State Golf

Have you noticed the physical shapes of golfers on Tour? Wonder why players hit the ball so far today? Seen the two large golf fitness trailers set up at the Deutsche Bank Championship?

Doug Perron and Greg Specht

If you talk to the players, most all will say they are in great physical condition and that they follow a golf-specific training regimen to get the most from their bodies and help reduce injuries.

Titleist, a leading manufacturer of golf balls and golf equipment, developed a program in 2003 called the Titleist Performance Institute. The purpose of the program was to make golfers more fit, so that in the long run they will play better and longer and hence use more golf balls.

“Wally Uihlein and the top staff at Titleist had the foresight to see that the USGA was putting restrictions on balls and clubs and the only way to get more distance was to improve the ultimate source-the golfer’s body,” said PGA Tour professional Brad Faxon who has been going out to the Titleist Performance Institute facility (which is next door to the Equipment Testing Facility) in Oceanside, Cal. since soon after its inception.

“You are hooked up to wires and electrodes that test your legs, trunk and upper body to find the areas of strength and weakness, and then you are given a fitness program to help improve the areas you need,” added Faxon. “The reason that young players absolutely kill the ball is that they are learning at an early age to best use their body for the golf swing,” he said.

Two life-long friends from Pawtucket, Doug Perron and Greg Specht, have embraced this Titleist Performance Institute concept with the formation of iGOLFfit. Perron is a physical therapist assistant, personal trainer and fitness instructor who owns Barrington Fitness Studio. He is a graduate of Newbury College has been trained at the Titleist Performance Institute, the golf fitness program in Oceanside and has been honing his craft for 18 years.

He has earned the distinction of TPI’s Level 3 Fitness Certification, Level 2 Medical Certification and is working towards his Level 3 Junior Development Certification.

Specht is a graduate of Northeastern University with a degree in physical therapy. He owns Specht Physical Therapy, an orthopedic and sports therapy center in Swansea and has been a physical therapist for 19 years. Greg has earned his Level 2 Medical and Level 2 Fitness Certification and is an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist.

“The goal of Titleist Performance Institute is to have everyday golfers have access to this golf-specific health and golf fitness information and technology through an internet program called MyTPI. Part of the program includes access to articles and exercises on their website http://www.mytpi.com/.

“I really believe in the program. I’ve seen how it has improved the golfing ability of so many of my clients,” said the enthusiastic Perron. “Doug is the best fitness trainer that I know. I’ve gone to him so often that we have become good friends,” said Faxon who also mentioned that Doug’s wife, Valerie, is the best massage therapist he’s ever worked with.

“We try to work on strength, mobility, stability, balance and power,” said Perron who does a complete evaluation of each client who comes to his studio. These evaluations are done compared to a standard, and he and Specht use many different tools in the evaluation process. Within a couple of days the client comes back into the studio and a targeted fitness and wellness plan has been developed with specific exercises to work on to improve your golf fitness.

“If I find that someone has a physical limitation or injury that would preclude doing some of the exercises or training regimen, then I send him or her to Greg,” said Perron who also gets many referrals from golf professionals. Kyle Phelps at Rhode Island Country Club and Troy Pare at Wannamoisett are two local pros that are Titleist Performance Institute certified.

“Kyle is just down the street and he really gets it with regard to golf fitness training. I am always sending clients to him with the results of the TPI evaluation, and he often sends golfers to me,” said Perron. “I’ve told many of my clients that they are wasting money by taking lessons when they won’t improve substantially until they become more fit,” said Phelps.

“The first thing I do when I want to make a change in someone’s swing is to test the person and make sure that they have the ability to do what I am asking. If they can, we attack it, but if they can’t I suggest that they go and see Doug, We work as a team for the benefit of our students and I’ve seen results from everyone I’ve sent to Doug,” said Phelps.

“The TPI Model is great and Doug is the best. He is not only an expert in his field, but you will never find someone who will care more about your results than him,” he added.

Steve Napoli, head professional at Carnegie Abbey and long-time member of the RIPGA and a proponent of the TPI program, admitted that he likes work but he hates working out. “I go to the Barrington Fitness Studio twice a week at about 5:30 in the morning. The time flies by and I find that Doug has really been helpful for me,” said Napoli.

“I’ve been to Greg when I needed physical therapy and he’s been very helpful,” said Faxon who sees PT’s across the country while on Tour. “Their (Perron and Specht) concept of feeling good and golfing great is wonderful for golfers and it will certainly help golfers perform at their peak,” added Faxon.

Visit their website at http://igolffit.com/ to find out more about this concept of physical fitness as it relates specifically to golf.

Editor’s Note: Perron and Specht have agreed to write a golf fitness column in each issue of Ocean State Golf for the next year.

Stay tuned for more golf health and golf fitness techniques!

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